The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1887-03-26
Jury Packing.

! I wrote in terms OF indignation last
! week Of the jury packing in Dublin. 1t
| was deliberate outrage on the Catho
lie religion, implying as plainly as pos.
sible that Catholic was unworthy OF
trust even when On his oath. The pro
tests which have been made by the
Irish Episcopacy against the action OF
the Government show that this is the
light in which the 'trials'' are regarded
by the spiritual guides Of the Irish peo.
Pile. The Most Rev. DR.. Walsh, in for
warding to the editor of the Freeman g
Journal elO for the Defense Fund, ex~
presses the opinion that the jury has
not been fairly empaneled, but, "most
unfairly packed" and Archbishop
Croke: in sending a contribution to
the same fund, in startling language
suggests a strike against the payment
Of taxes Ito a Government that uses
them not for the public good and in
accordance with the declared wishes Of
the taxpayers, but in direct and oelib-
crate opposition to them" His Grace
is outspo]zen enough in his lenuncla-
tion of the present system OF govern
ment in Ireland. "Our money" he
says, ''goos to fee and feed gang Of
needy and voracions lawyers, to pur-
chase bludgeons for policemen to be
used III smashing the skulls of our peo-
pie, and generally for the support Of
foreign garrisons OF native slaves who
Late and despjse everything Irish and
every genuine Irishman. The police
man is pampered arid paid: the patriot
is prosecuted. Our enforced taxes go
to sustain the one: we must further
freely tax ourselves to defend the other.
How long, I ask, is this to be toIera-
ted?"
The Most Rey. DR.. DonneIly, Bishop
of Clogher, has also condemned the jury
packing i'll q spirited letter, il which he
urges the necessity Of stoutlJ support
ing the gallant men who are fighting
the battle Of the rack-rented tenantry.
Archbishop MacEvilly. Of Tuam, in
sending his contribution to The fund, is
equally emphatic. ''Ln former times, {"
he says, ''our people were robbed Of the
fruits earned by the sweat OF their
brow. In these days it is sought to req
them of their character by branding
tnem wholesale as perjurers OF the
Catholic faith. Can any man with a.
spark OF Catholic feeling within his
heart fail TO resent this gross affront
put upon US all?''
In the opinion If the Most Rev. DR..
Giilooly, Bishop Of Elphin, it were bet
ter far that the Governments should sus-
pend or abolish altogether the hypocriti-
cal pretence of trial by jury than use it
as an engine for crushing and removing
political opponents. Such abuse of {.
free and timehonored institution es-
pecialIy in Ireland, and in the present
condition of the country, should, His
Lordship believes, convince even the
most unreasoning opponents of Home
Rule OF the hopelessness of ever seeing
Ireland contented, peaceful, or prosper.
Gus under English-made laws, admins
tered by an English, or English ap-
executive. The Most Rev DR..
Lynch. Coadjutor- Bishop of Kildare
and Leighlin, also expresses his ap.
proyal of the conduct OF Mr.. Dillon and
his friends, and shows that he regards
them as real friends of the poor and the
oppressed.
The list of contributors is swelled by
the names of many other prominent
men, and there is a consensus of opin--
ion that the ry-packing system could
not have been illustrated in a more
barefaced and discreditabie manner.
The trials in Greenwich street, which
have been marked by several lively en-
between Mr.. T. M. Healy and
Mr.. Peter O'Brien, are drawing to a
close as write, and the verdict Of the
Jury will soon be given. This much
;an safely say, that whatever it may be,
It will have little moral weight owing
70 the course pursued by the authori-
;ies.-Cor. Liverpool Catholic Times.
The Manitoba is expected to grade
north from Aberdeen to Bis